The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-12-31
A STRIKE EDICT IGNORED
THE READING RAILROAD HANDS
STICK TO THEIR POSTS.

Contracts Expire.
READING, Dec. 30.--The convention of
Reading railroad employees, after a contin-
| uous session of nearly eight hours, ad
journed at $3.50 o'clock this morning At
that time it was decided to issue orders for
a general strike to take place at - o'clock
to-day, every man in the employ of the
Reading Company with the exception of
he passenger train crews, train men and
ignal tower men and crossing watchmen,
to strike fifteen minutes after the signal
was passed across the wires to Philadelphia
| and Williamsport. The resolution said
that the men should strike and remain out
until the company should agree to arbitrate
all differences. This included the shopmen
in this city who took the initiative in refns-
ing to go out early this week. thus breaking
the backbone of the strike at that time,
and every man who belongs to the Knights.
| A resolution was also passed offering a re-
ward of $1,000 for the arrest of any person
who in any way destroys or Injuries any Of
| the companys property. The order in
cluded not only the hands on the main line
but those over the whole system.
| DECISION OF THE MINERS.
After the adjournment of the convention
| the miners held separate session aud did
| not adjourn until o'clock this morning.
They transacted nothing definite with refer
ence to striking, but agreed to give full
financial and moral support to the strikers
on the railroad. The Schuylkill county
delegation consisted of 1876 delegates, and
they almost to man predicted that the
| company's $4,000 miners would strike If
| they were not continued the s per cent adj
vance. The miners did not decide to strike
| with the railroaders, because they are work
| ing by an agreement with the company,
which is binding until Jan. /, and because
| they still have hopes that the company will
| continue the per cent. advance
Chairman Lee, of the Executive Commit
| tee, before be left Reading this morning,
declared that IL a strike of the miners did
take place it would not only affect the
! Schuylkill miners but those in the Wyoming
coal fields, as well as the Lehigh miners.
He felt sure that they would all remain
firm, thus placing on strike at one time
100000 miners, and not a pound of coal
could then be mined.
VERY SECRET.
Last nights convention consisted exactly
of 1863 delegates, a majority OF whom came
| from the coal regions, the Lehigh and
! Wyoming miners being also represented.
The convention was entirely secret. Hardly
q delegate arrived before sundown last
evening, and every one had disappeared
from the city before daylight.
The company's officers in this city this
morning were not greatly excited over the
new order to the railroaders to strike.
| They said that the trains were all running
| on time; that they had all the men they
wanted and others in reserve, and that the
| only danger was of a coal famine if the
| miners should strike.
| The trades unionists of Reading, com.
| posed of such bodies as printers, hatters,
molders, bakers, carpenters, hod carriers,
| cigarmakers, BARRIERS, ETC.. have organized
/ themselves into body known as a Trade
| and Labor Council, which it is estimated
represents ! 800 men. They do not affiliate
with the Knights of Labor. At late
! hour last night after lengthy meeting the
council passed the following resolutions:
Resolved, That the Trade and Labor Council
! of Reading do censure the Philadelphia and
| Reading Company for their direct attack on
| ganized labor, and request all unions to extend
! their sympathy and aid to those directly injured
| by the company.
| Resolved That we severely condemn the
| Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers for their
very ready offer Of assistance to the company
| in the present difficulties on the road, merely
| for the purpose of seeking revenge.
| NO SIGN OF A STRIKE.
| No attention had been paid to the order
| to the Reading employees to strike, so far as
appearances up to 2:45 p. m. indicated SO
| far as known not a single man anywhere on
| the Reading lines had yet left his post, and
a very heavy business had been done all
| day.
Some concern is expressed about what
may happen in the coal regions after Jan.
| /. at which time the contracts expire.
| Representatives of the Reading shop men
| in last nights convention say the.voice of
the miners delegates was all for war,
while the railroad men were for peace, but
| the latter were outvoted.
STILL AT WORK.
READING, PA, Dec. 80, Or. M.-The stu
! alton tonight remains practically un-
| changed as far as the Reading rairoaders
are concerned hereabouts. The road con-
| tinues in full operation and the shop bands
! show no disposition to strike at any time.
| The Knights of Labor are evidently losing
| ground in this vicinity, This week three
| trades unions withdrew from the order in
| this city and will be mustered into member
| ship with the Trade and Labor Council Of
the Federation of Labor, the great rival Of
| the Knights.
| Seven hundred men on the Shamo1in and
Mahanoy division of the Reading rail-
road at Shamoxin, Mahanoy Plane and
| Ashland struck to-day. This may prevent
| the shipment of coal for a while, even if the
! miners consent TO continue work. The
! Reading conventions order TO strike seems
| to have been obeyed in the. coal regions
only
LOOKED PEACEFUL.
PHILADELPHIA, Dec. 80. AT Port Rich
mond and at the depots and along the lines
of the various branches of the company in
this city, there was the usual activity this
afternoon. and the officials reported that
none of the employees had yet quit work A
large body of Pinkerton detectives, together
with squads of city policemen, are still on
duty at the coal wharves at Port Richmond
and at the freight depots, but thus far the
strikers who went out several days
ago, have shown no disposition to
interfere with the men at work. The
Reading company to-day advertised for
men to take the places of the striking coal
handlers at Port Richmond. guaranteeing
permanent employment, good pay and pro
lection to all who are accepted, but giving
notice that the men who were discharged
on Dec "a for refusing to handle coal need
not apply About 150 men came down
from New York on a tug and were set to
work this morning.
THE CRISIS.
PHILADELPHIA, Dec. 80, 1l:50 p. M.--The
crisis ia the strike will be reached to-mor-
row morning il the declared intentions of
the nine local assemblies, which are made
up OF the entire number of Reading rail-
road employees in this city, are lived up to.
An unusually large meeting of
Local Assembly No. $500 was
held tonight and there were present, be-
sides, represeutatives of eight other assem-